A Gather Grim Situation (2/2)

Writers: Avery, Jelena, Leigh M-F.
Date Posted: 26th May 2016

Characters: Genna, Varlene, Lacarad, Lacarad's Father, Garet, Deuten, Bayan
Description: The Gather is a disaster.
Location: Emerald Falls Hold
Date: month 5, day 19 of Turn 8

Genna

Minamari turned around, looking up at the tall, dark-skinned, muscular man holding two wrapped bundles that smelled like food. There was a truly hateful, frightening expression on his face, and his breath had the scent of hard alcohol. "You should have thrown them out the moment you saw their knots," the man snapped.

"Th-They were just leaving," Lacarad stuttered. "I told them our wares aren't for them."

"Not good enough. You know there's only one way to deal with dragonwhores." The large man shoved past the ladies to set the food on the table, then turned around and stuck two fingers in his mouth, whistling shrilly. "Hey! Bayan, Deuten, Garet! Help me get rid of these dragonwhores over here!" he bellowed, and three other merchants' heads swiveled in his direction.

"Father, pl-please, just let them go," Lacarad begged. "We can't have a fight here or we'll never be allowed to come back! We need the Marks!"

Varlene was outraged by the man's statements. "Dragonwhores? Who keeps you safe from Thread? Makes sure that nothing burrows so you can get clay to make your pots? You'd be eaten without us!"

"Your Weyrs are full of thieves, murderers, and deviants!" the tall man shouted as the three he had summoned came closer. "Then you steal our good women and turn them into whores, and make them breed more deviants! 'Come one, come all, from Hold and Hall; if they rise, we'll make them fall,'" he mocked. "Ever heard that one, dragonwhores? It's how holders and crafters feel about you."

"Father, please, I-I'm begging you, just let them go," Lacarad beseeched.

"No. They're going to learn," his father hissed, and drew back his fist-

And that was when Minamari grabbed one of his plates and hurled it into into his face so hard he was sent staggering, bleeding profusely from his broken nose. "If you lay a hand on us, you'll feel our wrath and the fury of Dragonsfall!" she screamed, drawing herself up as tall as she could and dropping her bags. **Hetriweth!** she mentally called for her green.

As the situation escalated, Genna felt heat creeping up her back and face. Part of her wanted to drag her friends off in blind panic and avoid the confrontation, part of her was furious at the way the man spoke to them. And somehow, in the midst of those emotions, Genna stood rooted to the spot, her eyes large and her face pale, words frozen on her lips.

Garet was all too happy to make the so-called dragonwhores pay. They'd tried to Search his daughter and take her away to the Weyr. Where she'd wear pants. Where she'd become a dragonrider's mistress, learning thoughts women shouldn't learn and maybe even crafting. Women were for increasing the Holds and Halls, not to warm the Weyr's beds. Seeing these confident greenriders, some in _pants_, was appalling and he was happy to teach them a lesson. So he grabbed the nearest one, a small pretty blonde. She wasn't the one who'd tried to Search his daughter, but she'd pay anyway.

Varlene was terrified by the man's reciting of the song, and his obvious fury. Her parents hadn't thought being sent to the Weyr made her a deviant. They'd been honored. She'd never heard this kind of vitriol before. So she was frozen stiff when one of the summoned men grabbed her friend. "GENNA!" she shouted.

It all happened so fast, Genna wasn't even sure she'd have had time to react. But in all honesty, she also didn't know if she would have been able if she'd have had the time. Before she knew it, her wrists were held together in one big fist and there was nothing she could do to pull herself free. Tugging fruitlessly at the hold, she felt a sharp pain shooting up her wrists and anguish was to be read clearly in her face. She'd never felt more helpless. Soon though, the silhouet of a gold dragon filled the sky. Genna's first instinct was to calm Lissath down, before she could make matters worse in her anger, but she was surprised to find the gold's mind much calmer than her own.

}: Release her now or face the consequences :{

Never before had Genna been so glad with Lissath's odd tendency to speak to whoever, wherever. She didn't overwhelm either, her mindvoice was - though icy cold - barely audible. But Genna was pretty sure that for that man it would be positively terrifying.

Garet screamed at the sound of the voice echoing in his mind, and the hovering giant beast who could eat him. He tensed up, paralyzed, and felt a suspicious wetness trickle down his leg. His hands stayed on the rider though, frozen into immobility like the rest of him.

"Let her go, Garet," Dueten shouted.

Genna could feel the change in attitude in the man that had grabbed her and it finally drew her out of the fear-paralysis. Though she was still trembling with fear and felt her heart beating crazily, she managed to try a step away from the man, tugging on her arm. "Let me go, now!"

Hetriweth appeared and landed heavily among the stalls, hissing madly and eyes whirling red. Garet squeaked and let go. Shock of shocks, Lacarad grabbed three mugs, stuffed them into the dragonriders' bags, and handed them over. "Ladies, if I m-may escort you t-to your dragons?" he asked shakily.

Minamari took her bags and looped one arm through his. She needed someone to help hold her up, and the poor guy had tried to warn them. She marched to Hatriweth with her head held high like a Lady Holder, determined not to let anyone know how badly her knees were shaking. Lacarad returned for Varlene and Genna the moment Minamari had mounted up.

Varlene wasn't trembling, she was flushed with anger. But she took Lacarad's arm and reached for Genna. "Come on. Let's go home."

"Yes," Genna said in a tight voice. "Let's." Her mind was still reeling and her knees trembling. She'd think about what had happened later. Now she just wanted to get home.

Last updated on the May 27th 2016

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A Gather Grim Situation (2/2)